China's 'unwanted' single women feel the pressure
CHINA: Xu, a pretty woman in her 30s, warily walked into a Beijing
singles club in a bid to shed her status as one of China's "Unwanted".
Xu had not been to the "Garden of Joy" for more than a year but, with
time and societal judgement weighing heavily on her, she returned with
cautious hopes. "I just want someone with whom I share things in common,
but who is also in a better financial situation than me." Xu, who did
not want to be identified, is one of China's so-called "Sheng Nu". The
term, which translates to the "Unwanted", is derived from a phenomenon
in Chinese society which affects hundreds of thousands of women,
particularly the urban, educated and financially independent.
The term, which is unique to China and which only applies to women,
appears in China's official dictionary and refers to "all single woman
above the age of 27". "Nothing in the world will allow me to become a
Sheng Nu," she said, lamenting that for many men in China youthful looks
count for a lot. AFP |